Vacuum operated gear shift



Sept. 22, 1936. F. w. WALTER. JR 2,055,324

VACUUM OPERTED GEAR SHIFT med Feb., 12, 1935 s Smets-sheet 1 NVENTOR: /C/WK WMLTEEJE,

ATTORNEY .U Yo( B N EQ Sa 7 ow/ f V1 TNEssEs;

Sept. 22, 1936. F. w. WALTER, JR

1 VACUUM OPERATED GEAR SHIFT Filed Feb.V l2, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 22, 1936. F. w. WALTER. JR

VACUUM OPERATED GEAR SHIFT 5 Sheets-Sheet 3A F'iled Feb. l2, 1935 N Sl f lNVENToR.- /EANK WMLTEUE- Af mmm Sept. 22, 1936. F. w. WALTER. JR

VACUUM OPERATED GEAR SHIFT 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 eob 12 1935 5 l l' ?9 /oo INVENTOR.- /EANK //1/. M/ALTEZJZ. BY l l s ATTORNEY WITNESSES.- ,C-To /7 www@ Sept. 22, 1936. F, w. WALTER. JR

VACUUM OPERATED GEAR SHIFT Filed Feb 12,'-1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NN @uw INVENTOR.- F/:NK f4( W11 Ta/x?.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2.2, 1936 VACUUM OPERATED GEAR SHIFT Frank W. Walter, Jr., Ventnor, N. J.

Application February 12, 1935, Serial No. 6,145

r 4 claims.

f This invention relates to vacuum operated'gear shifts, and has for an object to provide improved means for actuating the gear shiftfor"an automotive vehicle controlled by theattenuation of air by any means, but more particularly from the intake manifold or vacuum tank ,ordinarily found upon such vehicles. f 1 y A further object of the invention is toprovide means automatically controlled by the speed-of the vehicle to effect the shifting from one speed ratio to'another during the operation of the ve'- hicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with a transmission mechanism of substantially any well known type, means y whereby the initiation of motion may be manually controlled, and whereby subsequent shifts of gear ratio will be automatically controlled by the speed of the vehicle.

' A further obj'ect of the invention is to provide in combination with the drive shaft of a vehicle, a centrifugal governor biased by the rotation of the shaft and having means connecting said governor with a valve organization, which said valve organization in turn controls communication with cylinders, the pistons of which when actuated by air pressure unbalanced by the attenuation of air, will cause the shifting of the transmission parts from one speed ratio to another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve organization which is automatically controlled by the speed of the vehicle and with a transmission mechanism having clutch connections with the driving shaft of a motor vehicle, said clutch connections holding the ratio connections until released, and when manually released to be actuated by the movement of cylinders under atmospheric pressure unbalanced by communication with an exhausted chamber, whereby the released transmission parts will be shifted from one speed ratio to another in consonance with the actual speed of the vehicle.

The invention, therefore, comprises a plurality of cylinders in which pistons are mounted to reciprocate, said cylinders being in communication with a chamber subject to exhaust and also open to the atmosphere upon the side of the pistons opposite 'said exhaust bias, withmeans for translating the movement of ksaidpistons 'into movement of transmission controL-fsaid control embodying means forshiftingthe gear v`ratio A within the transmission, but heldjagainst such shift by the clutch mechanism; :whichnormally` connects thetransmission withthe drivingshaft,

(ci. 'i4-336.5)

and operative only upon the manual release of theclutch mechanism, whereby the transmission parts are freed for movement, and thereby actuated by the movement of the pistons under the atmospheric pressure, as noted.

The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a view of the device in side eleva- Elon as attached to a gear casing of conventional orm, A

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation from the side opposite Figure 1, but with the gear casing omitted, p.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, Figure 4 is a view in end elevation as indicated by arrow 4 at Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a view partly in side elevation, and partly in section of one of the longitudinal cylinders,

Figure. 6 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the vertical cylinder,

Figure 7 is a view in side elevation of the housing to which the cylinders are attached,

Figure 8 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of one of the pistons,

' Figure 9 is a view of the control valve with the top of the valve housing removed and parts of the valve body broken away,

Figure 10 is a view of the valve showing the housing in diametrical section, as indicated by line Ill-l0 of Figure 9, with the valve body in edge elevation,

Figure 11 is a view of the valve organization in rear elevation,

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the means y for limiting the piston movement,

. Figure 13 is a view in enlarged detailed section of the governor,

Figure 14 is a somewhat exploded perspective of governor parts,

Figures 15 and 16 are, respectively, thecentrifugally actuated governor links,

Figure 17 is a view in elevation of the spring employed in the governor,

Figure 18 is a view of a conventional transmission with the operating cam of the shifting "mechanism associated therewith,

Figure 19 Vis a view in elevation of the low" gear provided with a conventional overrunning clutch.

Figure 20 is a side view, somewhat diagrammatic of the operating connections between a valve in the vacuum line and the clutch pedal.

i f Figure 21 is a top plan view of the clutch pedal and associated parts, and

Figure v22 is a detail showing in .t0n plan of the valve' which is operatively connected to the .clutch pedal.

The present invention presupposes the use upon a .motor vehicle or the like, of a transmission of any well known type, and indicated at 20 merely conventionally iwithout any limitation as to its construction." This transmission is contained within a casing 2|, also shown conveniently, with which a manual gear shift lever 22 communicates, and; through the medium of the part 23, adapted to shift the gear ratio of the transmission between the positions usually known as low and reverse. These parts correspondl identically with any corresponding parts found in transmissions, except that the low gear L must be provided with an overrunning clutch C, as shown at Figure 19, for the purposes hereinafter brought out.

The controlling mechanism comprises a housing 26 which is rigidly connected with the gear casing. As sh, tubular oisets 25 provide means whereby the housing is attached rigidly to the side of the gear housing by means of bolts 26, which said bolts also have a further function, as will be hereinafter more fully brought out. The housing is provided with a cover member or closure 21 which is provided with ears 28 through which the said bolts 26 extend.

Within the housing 28 a limiting member is mounted, comprising spaced segments 29 having a connecting wrist pin 36 and journalled to oscillate upon a trunnion 3| which extends through an opening in the wall of the gear casing, and is provided with a crank arm 32 therein which is provided with a pin 33 engaging the bifurcated member 34 on the shift rod 35 through the medium of which the gear ratio is shifted between the 'ratio known as high" and second". The housing 24 is provided upon opposite sides with cylinders 36 and 31, and with a cylinder 38 perpendicular to the cylinders 36 and 3,1. tached to the housing in any approved manner, and screw threads 39, 46 and M, shown for the purpose, are merely illustrative of a convenient and mechanically acceptable means.

Within the cylinders 36, 31 and 38 are, respectively, mounted pistons 62, 83 and 4i. The piston 48 is provided with a master connecting rod 45 having a T-head 46 to which are pivoted the connecting rods 91 and 48 of the pistons 42 and 43, respectively. This T-head 46 is also, as will be noted, more particularly from Figure 3, journalled upon the connecting wrist pin 38 of the stop member shown in perspective at Figure 12.

Mounted upon the housing 24 is a valve housing 49 having a cover member 56 and provided,

respectively, with ears and' 52 through which extend the bolts 26 whereby the bolts 26 serve to maintain the entire structure in rigid association with the gear casing.

The valve housing has a circular interior` and a valve body 53 mounted therein to rotate upon a valve spindle 54. This valve spindle is provided with a pinion 55, and a lever 56 fulcrumed at 51 is provided with a segmental gear 58. It is-obvious that as the lever 56 is oscillated through the several positions, indicated in dotted lines at Figure 11, that the valve body 53 will be rotated or oscillated within the housing.

The valve is provided .with a plurality of connecting members, shown as nipples 59, 60 and 6|, to which are, respectively, attached tubes These cylinders are, respectively, at-- 62, 63 and 66 which, being bent and, curved to the proper and required curvature, connect,

respectively, with `connecting vmembers shown as nipples 65, 66 and 61 on the cylinders 36, 31

and 38, respectively. A

The valve body 53 is provided with a central 'boss 68 communicating with a central passage 69 which in turn communicates with a radial l with some one of the perforations 13, 14 or 15 of the valve cover 50. The central boss 61 communicates by means of a pipe 16 with any exhausted chamber, the most convenient ordinarily being the vacuum tank of the internal combustion engine. To insure the stoppage of the valve body 53 in proper register with any of the openings, indicated by the nipples 59, 68 or 6|, a detent member is provided comprising specifically a ball 11 set in a socket 18 and controlled by a spring 19, as shown more clearly at Figure 10.

Secured upon or integral with the gear casing 8|, is an auxiliary governor casing 80. -At Figure 13 this governor casing is shown as integral with the gear casing 2|, but integrality is wholly a matter of choice. Through this governor casing 88 the driven part of the drive shaft 8| extends and the drive shaft 8| is provided With the usual manual or foot clutch 82 which is shown conventionally at Figure 18, without attempt at accuracy.

Within the governor casing 88, a member 88 is rigidly secured to the drive shaft 8|, in any am proved manner. As shown at Figure 14, this is accomplished by means of a set screw 86 which passes through the hub 85 of the member '69 and is inserted through an opening 86. This, however, is merely a matter of choice andmay be varied as found desirable.

Sliding upon the drive shaft 8| is a member E11 which is provided with a furrow 88 engaged by a bifurcated yoke 89 which is pivoted at 98 to an arm 9| fulcrumed at 92.

The members 83 and 81 are, respectively, provided with ears 93, 98, 95 and 96, arranged in spaced pairs. Between the ears 93 and 94 centrifugal links 91 are pivoted at 98 and between the ears 95 and 96, respectively, are pivoted the links 99 at |96. These links 91 and 99 are hinged together at |8| so that when affected by centrifugal force they may move from the full line to dotted line positions, as shown at Figure 13. The links 91 and 99 are, respectively, provided with stops |02 and |03so'that when in full line positions, as shown at Figure 13, these stops are in engagement v to prevent further hinging movement of the links.

The members 33 and 81 are provided with annular recesses |84 and |85 in which is mounted a spring |66 providing tension tending to separate the members 83 and 81 to the full line position shown at Figure 13, but yielding under the centrifugal force to permit the members 83 and 81 to approach each other, and the links 91 and 99 to assume the dotted line positions whereby the yoke 89 and arm 9| are, respectively, moved through the dotted line positions shown at said Figure 13.

The governor is connected with and to operate the valve by means of a lever |01 fulcrumed at |68 on the gear casing, and connected by means of a link |09 with an arm H8 rigidly mounted upon the trunnion 92. The lever |01 is also connected by a link with the' arm 5,6. 4"-said`1inl;page beingl adapted'to move from the fu1l"`line' position. as shown at Figure 1, tothe dotted line position.`

` Referring now,v to Figures v20, 2l and- 22', a clutch pedal is shown at I I5 as being carried at one end of an arm H6 that is nonrotatablyconnected to a shaft ||1`. DrivablyV carried by the shaft '|I1 is a depending arm I I8 that has a bifurcated end ||9 that engages the clutch member '82; It is evident that upon movemento'f t e pedalr H6 in the direction of the arrow at the top of Figure 20, the clutch member 82 will be shifted in the direction of the arrow at the bottom of Figure 20.

The shaft ||1 also drivably carries analrm |29 from the free end of which extends a pin |2|. This pin |2| is received in a slot |22 in a link |23 that is pivotally connected at |24 with a crank arm |25 extending from a valve shaft |26. The valve shaft |26 extends intoa valve casing |21 that is included in the line 16 and interiorly of the casing |21 the valve |26 carries a valve member |28 whichr is shown as being of the so-called buttery type. A leaf spring is shown at |29 as having one end engaging a pin |80 on the valve casing |21 and the other end engaging the crank arm |25, aslndicated at |3|.

This spring |29 is normally effective to maintain the valve member |28 in position closing the line 16; however, upon the pedal ||5 being moved so far in the direction of the arrow at the top of Figure 20 that the pin |2| engages the extremity of the slot |22, then the link |23 will be affected to cause the crank arm |25 to turn the valve shaft |26 to open the valvemember |28 and establish free communication in the line 16.

In operation, the initiation of movement of the vehicle is accomplished in the usual manner by the manipulation of the shift lever 22 acting through the medium of the member 23 in the usual manner to interengage the low gear L. Under this condition of engagement of the low gear and the car at a standstill the cylinder 38 is in communication with the line 16 so that upon depression of the clutch pedal I5 to its complete limit of movement the valve |28 will be opened to exhaust the cylinder 38 and draw the piston 44 to the bottom thereof. As explained, this low gear is provided with an overrunning clutch C. so that when the vehicle has started under the impulse imparted thereto by the low gear, the interengagement may be maintained. As the speed of the vehicle increases, the driving shaft 8|, of course, rotates with greater speed, and affects the governor exerting tension through the linkage |01 to upon the arms 66 and thereby upon the valve 53.

When the stress exerted by the governor, con- I trolled by the speed, is sufiicient to overcome the resistance of the detent 11, the valve will snap into second gear position by rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow at Figure 9, such position putting the radial passage 1|) in communication with the outlet indicated by the nipple 60, and the air will, therefore, be exhausted through the tube 62, exhausting the cylinder 36, and moving the piston to the position shown at Figure 3. This will oscillate the arm 32 so that it will move to the position 32 shown at Figure 18, to shift the rod 35 to throw into action the second gear. While in second gear the speed of the vehicle will increase, again rotating the shaft 8| at a greater speed and tending to move the governor, as shown at Figure 13, entirely to the dotted line position, which movement will be resisted by the detent 11 of the valve. and .the linkage connecting until the'tension exerted by the centrifugal action of the links 91 and 33 overcomes the resistance of the detent and the valve 53 moves another third revolution to place theV radial conduitlli in communication with the port indicated by the nipple 59 at Figure 9. This will place the tube 63 under `the action of exhaust, which will likewise'exhaust the cylinder 31.

In the normal shifting of gears manually, it is necessary to release the clutch before shifting can be accomplished. In the present instance the same is necessary-as the interengagement of the gears will prevent the shifting unless and until the clutch has been released. When, therefore, the speed of the vehicle has increased' under the action of the second gear. the clutch is depressed to cause the valve |28 to open whereby the line 16 is opened and the air exhausted from the cylinder 31, and the atmospheric air entering through the opening 14 will act upon the piston 43 to move that piston to the opposite extreme of its movement, thereby oscillating the member 29 and throwing the arm 32 to the position 32" and moving the rod 35. will effect the shifting of the gears i from second" to "high".

. When and if thevehicle slows in its action, it may be maintained in "high gear until it comes entirely to a stop by simply allowing the clutch to remain in engagement, or as the vehicle loses headway, the clutch may be released and through the linkage, as described, and the valve, the gear will again be shifted from high to lsecond. This position may likewise be maintained until the vehicle comes to rest, or, at a still greater reduction of speed, the clutch may again be actuated and the valve rotated to the full line position shown at Figure 9, wherein the radial conduit 10 is in communication 4through the port indicated by the nipple 61 with the pipe 64 and thereby, in turn with the cylinder 38, moving the member 29 so that the arm 32' occupies the intermediate position 32" which will be the full line position shown at Figure 18, and the gear will be in neutral so far as high and second are concerned, but still in gear with the low, which will continue to move the vehicle in the usual manner.

Of course, the vacuum operated gear shift illustrated may be modied and changed in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forth and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:-

1. In a. vacuum operated gear shift, gearing including a gear moving into positions establishing reverse and low and an intermediate position constituting a neutral position for said gear, a pin operatively connected to said gear for causing movement of said gear, said pin being pivotally mounted at one end on a shaft, a, connecting member drivably connected to said shaft, a plurality of cylinders disposed about said shaft, a piston in each of said cylinders, links connecting each of said pistons with said connecting member, and means for selectively exhausting air in each of said cylinders whereby the piston in the cylinder from which the air is exhausted is rendered effective to move the connecting member into a predetermined position causing a corresponding movement on the part of the gear.

2. In a vacuum operated gear shift, a shaft, three cylinders disposed about said shaft, a, connecting member drivably connected to said shaft,

.a piston in each of said cylinders, a T-member p ivotally mounted onsaid connecting member with the long end of the T vconnected to one of Asaid* pistons, links connecting each endo! the T with each of the other pistons, means .for selectively exhausting air from eachzof the cylinders, gearing including a rgear adapted toassume different eifective positions, and operative connections betwe'ensaid gear and said shaft whereby rotation of said shaft is effective to move said gear into its eifective positions. v

3. rIn a vacuum loperated gear shift, a `cylinder housing defining three cylinders which meet together at one end, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing at a point commonto the extremity of' said cylinder, a sector having its apex drivably connected to said shaft, a T-connecting member pivotally mounted on said sector at the cresson said T, pistons in each of the cylinders, one of 4said pistons being connected to the long arm of said vT-connecting member, there being links between theextrernities of the cross of said T and each of the other pistons, means for selectively exhausting air from said cylinders, gearing including,v a gear movable into positions establishing different gear ratios, and operative connections between said gear and said shaft whereby rotation` of the shaft under influence of the 'pistons causesmovement of the gear into different positions. l

4. In a vacuum operated gear shift, a gearing including a gear movable into positions establlishing reverse and low and an intermediate position constituting a neutral position for said gear, a clutch memberl movable'into positions'establishing second and high and adapted. to assume a position intermediate the last mentioned two positions to establish a neutral position for said clutch member, a plurality of cylinders, a piston in each of said cylinders operatively connected to the said clutch'member, means for selectively exhausting air from each of thesaid cylinders, a valve controlling the operation of said exhaust means, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a governor on said driven shaft for automatically operating said valve control means, and connections between the first gear and the driving shaft including an overrunning clutch whereby said connections are rendered ineiective upon increase in speed of rotation of said driven shaft.

FRANK W. WALTER, Jn. 

